Today & Tomorrow

We’re all a part of nature. Every decision we make has an impact on the planet. Addressing the issue of climate change is fundamental to the future of our sport, the prosperity of all communities, and the wellbeing of our planet.  FIS is working to reduce its impact, share solutions, and embrace regenerative practices. In this work, FIS is guided by clear principles:

Leadership

FIS advocates for climate action and sustainability within the ski industry, mountain communities and its fan base.

• Support change makers

• Influence peers

• Inspire fans

Action

Wherever possible, FIS applies best practices to reduce environmental and carbon footprints across its directly-managed operations, as well as requiring event hosts to meet specific sustainability criteria and supporting the progress on sustainability that is already underway in snow sports. 

• Implement sustainable operations

• Push innovation

• Embed circular economy principles

Collaboration

FIS works with partners to create a solid network, build new projects, share good practice and sustainable solutions. One of FIS’s greatest assets is its members, which include 140 NSAs and the respective LOCs. Collectively the members have the greatest ability to create a more sustainable sport.

• Create strategic partnerships

• Influence supply chains

• Share new projects

Education

FIS contributes to raising awareness on climate change and intensifying the development of knowledge in around sustainability. For FIS sports to be sustainable, mass participation is fundamental. FIS will continue to work across its network to ensure this, as well as supporting the next generation of athletes to act as ambassadors.

• Develop and train

• Report

• Communicate and inform

FIS Sustainability Policy

As part of its 5-Year Rolling Strategic Plan, the Sustainability Policy guides FIS actions. The main environmental pillars of FIS are: climate change; biodiversity and nature protection; and the circular economy. You can read more on each pillar below.

Climate Change

Implementing the actions needed for snow sports to align with The Paris Agreement and UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action Framework requires a concerted effort by all. 

Approach

The Net Zero target defined by the Paris Agreement is by 2050 at the latest. This underlines the urgency for each sector of the global community to set ambitious targets. The UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action Framework has set the Net Zero target for the sporting sector as no later than 2040 (-50% by 2030). FIS is aligned with this approach, in the belief that sport – with its power to influence millions of people – needs to react responsibly and swiftly to the impact of climate change.

The three tools in achieving these goals is Reduction, followed by Compensation and, of course, Influence

Reduction

No amount of carbon off-setting can replace the importance of reducing emissions. In any large global organization this is a hard task which involves strategic, long-term thinking about how operations can be altered to make a meaningful difference to emissions.

To underpin FIS' work to in this area, it is essential to first establish the scope of emissions generated by FIS and its partners, the boundaries of these emissions and the inventories of how they are generated. This is key whenwith the wider network of FIS stakeholders (LOC, NSAs, partners, suppliers).

To define distinct scopes and allocate responsibility, FIS uses the criteria of financial control. Put simply: if you own it or paid for it, you are responsible for it.

Starting from 2023 for FIS as an organisation – and from the 2023/2024 season for events – FIS is collecting data to re-calculate a comprehensive carbon footprint. This new calculation will expand the operational boundaries considered in a previous study commissioned by FIS.

FIS has already taken some steps to make an impact on its direct carbon footprint, including:

• Switching the energy in the FIS headquarters to maximize the use of renewable energy.

• Making every other FIS Congress as of 2021 remote; effectively cutting the carbon footprint of these large international gatherings in half;

• Ensuring that 20% of cars in the company fleet are electric/hybrid;

• Allowing most of the judges of some disciplines to work at home during the races.

In addition, from the 2023/24 season FIS is reducing the international flights required by teams. Previously male Alpine skiers from the speed disciplines were required to travel to the U.S. twice in one season. This season, thanks to a rearrangement of the schedule, only 20% of athletes will be travelling to the U.S. twice to compete in speed and technical disciplines, meaning a significant reduction in Co2 emissions.

Compensation

Since 2021 FIS has supported Cool Earth, joining an optimistic rainforest revolution which supports indigenous communities to prevent deforestation and fight climate change.

Mission and Approach:

Cool Earth's mission is simple: to back people who protect the rainforest and fight the climate crisis. Cool Earth partners with indigenous and local communities, the real rainforest experts. FIS supports Cool Earth to fund projects that tackle the root causes of deforestation and protect vital carbon sinks.

The People:

Indigenous peoples and local communities have protected the rainforest, nurtured it, and kept it healthy for thousands of years. By supporting them, FIS provides the tools and resources they need to thrive while safeguarding one of the most critical carbon sinks on Earth. This is not just environmental conservation; it is social justice and economic empowerment.

The Rainforest: 

Tropical rainforests are vital carbon sinks that regulate the climate and irreplaceable ecosystems. Keeping rainforests intact can provide 23% of climate mitigation urgently needed to cool our planet.

The rainforest captures carbon better than any other environment on Earth. Trees older than 20 years represent 95% of the global carbon sinks. Rainforests arealso  a trove of biodiversity, hosting over half of the world's plant and animal species. They affect our weather, atmosphere, our food and medicine, and are home to millions of people.

The Climate Crisis:

The climate crisis affects us all. Rainforests play a pivotal role in mitigating its impact. They act as a natural carbon sink, absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide. By supporting Indigenous and local communities, the true climate experts, to protect these vital ecosystems, we can help turn the tide on global warming.

For more information: www.coolearth.org

Influence

FIS will use its influence to advocate for sustainable practice at every opportunity. For example, President Eliasch has spoken to the IOC about the possibility of rotating the Winter Olympic Games between permanent hosts, which would decrease the emissions. He will continue to make this, and other arguments, in his role as member of the IOC’s Sustainability and Legacy Committee and in other forums where FIS can use its influence to help shape a more sustainable future for sport.

Biodiversity and Nature Protection

Biodiversity and nature protection are crucial to human wellbeing, and are increasingly threatened. In snow sports we see the loss of biodiversity in the swift changes that climate change has brought to the mountains. Driven by a determination to preserve the beautiful landscapes that our sports depend on – and to protect the precious resources that are the livelihood of mountain communities – FIS is embracing nature protection and addressing the issue of biodiversity loss.

Sport for nature

The IUCN Sports for Nature Framework, launched in December 2022, was created to tap into sport’s enormous potential to drive positive change. The Framework aims to deliver transformative, nature-positive action across sports by 2030 and beyond, enabling sports to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration. FIS signed the framework in September 2023, which commits the federation to report annual progress on the Framework's four principles:

1. Protect nature and avoid damage to natural habitats and species

2. Restore and regenerate nature wherever possible

3. Understand and reduce risks to nature in your supply chains

4. Educate and inspire positive action for nature across and beyond sport

Approach

In response to these principles, FIS is developing specific projects for nature protection, starting with training courses for our race directors and experts who homologate ski slopes, webinars for the entire FIS family, calls of action on biodiversity protection, checklists and guidelines, a sustainability sourcing code and a sustainability sourcing guide that takes nature into account in the supply chain.

Circular Economy

The circular economy is a model of production and consumption which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. In practice, it means reducing waste to a minimum. When a product reaches the end of its life, its materials are kept within the economy wherever possible thanks to recycling. These can be productively used again and again, thereby creating further value. This is a departure from the traditional, linear economic model, which is based on a take-make-consume-throw away pattern.

For this reason, how organizations buy and acquire goods can make a difference in terms of sustainability. In a world where everything is increasingly more transparent and connected, understanding and managing the impact of sourcing decisions is becoming ever more critical. Integrating sustainability considerations into purchasing is fast becoming critical to reducing the impact on the environment and people. Against a backdrop of growing tension over resource management, FIS believes that adopting a responsible and efficient approach to resource management – and helping NSAs and LOCs to do the same - is therefore a priority. Particularly when it comes to sporting events that involve significant provision of consumption of resources in terms of materials and equipment for building, fitting-out and dressing venues, use of sports equipment, event production, food and beverage, energy, water, clothing, paper, merchandise, technology services, logistics and accommodation. Goods and services generally comprise a substantial portion of total organizational expenditure and impact.

Approach

Internally, we are developing a Sustainability Sourcing Code – linked to the Purchasing Procedure – to help us bind our suppliers to pursue ethical and responsible behavior throughout their supply chain, and ensure they are not exploiting people or the environment. In addition, a Sustainability Sourcing Guide will help our staff consider sustainability in their procurement processes. These documents will be shared with the LOCs and NSAs so that they can embrace the circular economy.

FIS is also interested in strengthening collaboration with the ski industry, which is exploring greater sustainability in ski and ski equipment production.

In sharing the innovation and design to contribute to an acceleration in the global development of collective initiatives across various segments and global markets for the collection, recycling, and repurposing of winter sports equipment.